1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to tennis racket string means and more particularly to an improved type of portable tennis racket string straightener.
2. Prior Art
Numerous devices have been provided to aid in stringing or restringing a tennis racket. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,156,092, 2,268,276, 3,994,496 and 4,082,272. More recently, it has been recognized that it is desirable to keep the strings of a tennis racket in proper alignment with each other during tennis play in order to provide optimal racket efficiency and string durability.
Strings can come out of alignment with each other after only a few strokes of the tennis racket in play, due to modern high velocity hits and techniques where the tennis ball is not struck flush but instead is struck at an angle in order to import substantial ball spin or for angular direction. In most instances, when strings become misaligned, the player must then resort to finger tuning the racket by manually moving the strings to their proper positions. The alternative is to stop play and resort to available large bulky and expensive string straighteners which must be kept on the sidelines. Such straighteners may be ones, for example, such as those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,523 or 4,733,866, 4,776,591 or 4,489,942. U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,071 discloses a simple portable hook which, however, is used to straighten only one string at a time. Its use takes considerable time if, as is usually the case, a number of strings are out of alignment.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to provide a simple, small, light weight, inexpensive pocket size string straightener without moving parts which could quickly and easily properly realign a number of racket strings during the time when a player is walking to the next position on the court and preparing for the next point.